Photo: Courtesy of the Taunton Police Department
TAUNTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Taunton Police Department has welcomed a new member into its ranks: Maggie the Comfort Dog, a nine-week-old Golden Retriever who arrived just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month.
According to the TPD, Maggie will be partnered up with Taunton Police Co-Response Clinician Katrina Lee to visit Golden Opportunities for Independence in Walpole. Eventually, after some training, Maggie will be tasked to help with de-escalation, reducing stress and anxiety levels during instances of crisis.
Photo: Courtesy of the Taunton Police Department
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“We are excited to welcome Maggie to our department where she will work alongside our mental health co-response clinician to provide comfort and support to those in crisis. Police departments across the nation are welcoming comfort dogs into their ranks, and the feedback has truly been amazing. We hope that Maggie will help to bridge connections between our department and the public, while simultaneously being a calming presence to all," Taunton Police Chief Edward Walsh said.
Maggie's name was voted on and chosen in honor of the department's first female police officer, Margaret Stevens who joined the force in 1943 and retired in 1962.
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